APGA, ADC Test Strength in Onitsha North By-Election, Massive Vote Buying Reported

The by-election in Onitsha North Constituency 1 has unfolded as one of the most fiercely contested political tests in Anambra State in recent memory. What began as a solemn necessity—to fill the vacant seat left by the death of Hon. Justice Azuka—has turned into a raw display of political might, money power, and coalition maneuvering between two parties: the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its coalition partner-turned-rival in this contest, the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

While the ballot was meant to be a localized contest to determine who would represent a single constituency, its implications run far deeper. It has become a referendum of sorts on the political strategies of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, the ruling APGA, and the rising influence of opposition voices, particularly Peter Obi, the former Vice President and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, who is now reasserting himself within the ADC coalition.

At the heart of the election is not just a race between two candidates but a broader struggle: APGA’s fight to retain dominance in Anambra politics versus the ADC’s determination to test its growing strength. And in this battle, reports from the ground suggest that the real weapon has not been ideas, policy, or vision—but raw cash.

The late Hon. Justice Azuka, whose passing created the vacancy, was a respected lawmaker and grassroots politician. His sudden death left both a political and emotional vacuum in Onitsha North. His widow, Mrs. Justina Azuka, was persuaded to run under the platform of ADC. Backed by Peter Obi and other coalition figures, she framed her campaign around continuity, empathy, and moral duty—arguing that she should carry forward her husband’s unfinished work.

APGA, however, fielded its own candidate, Mr. Obinna Ezeokafor, a relatively young politician and long-time loyalist of Governor Soludo. For Soludo, this election became more than just about filling a seat. It was a litmus test ahead of the November 2025 gubernatorial election, when he himself would face re-election. Winning Onitsha North, therefore, was critical for APGA to project strength and dominance.

Thus, the stage was set: a sympathetic widow backed by Obi and ADC on one side, and a loyal APGA candidate carrying the weight of Soludo’s political machinery on the other.

Reports from multiple wards in Onitsha North paint a disturbing picture: rather than a battle of ideas, the election has turned into a cash-for-votes bazaar.

YOU MAY READ

Onitsha North Constituency 1: The Election That’s Already Decided

Eyewitnesses confirmed that APGA agents were offering ₦10,000 per voter, while ADC operatives distributed ₦5,000 per voter.

At Omagba Ward 2, Mr. Ikechukwu Orji, a shop owner who witnessed the exchanges, described the process with startling frankness:

“It was peaceful—no fighting, no gunshots. But party agents were openly giving out money. Some were using envelopes, some were just handing it directly. APGA offered ₦10,000 per person, ADC gave ₦5,000. People collected from both sides before voting.”

Another source in Osuma Ward, who requested anonymity, added that many voters deliberately delayed casting their ballots to negotiate higher payments.

The implication was clear: this election was not about persuasion, but purchase.

Political analysts suggest that the heavy cash flow on both sides could not have come from the candidates themselves. Instead, suspicion falls on the two political godfathers shaping the race:

• Governor Soludo allegedly bankrolled APGA’s spending spree, determined to secure victory at any cost.
• Peter Obi, though no longer in Labour Party, reportedly threw his weight—and his resources—behind ADC and Mrs. Azuka, in a bid to showcase that he still commands loyalty in his home state.

Both camps deny direct involvement in the vote buying. But the sheer scale of the money changing hands leaves little doubt that the funds came from powerful backers.

This by-election has once again exposed the entrenched cancer of vote buying in Nigeria’s democratic process. Despite years of electoral reforms, public outcry, and arrests by security agencies, the practice remains widespread—especially in by-elections, where fewer voters make it easier and cheaper for parties to directly purchase loyalty.

Vote buying undermines democratic integrity, as elections are supposed to be contests of ideas. Instead, they become auctions where the highest bidder wins. It also erodes policy accountability, since politicians who buy votes feel no obligation to deliver on governance. Their debt is to financiers, not the electorate. Finally, it corrodes civic morality, as citizens, faced with poverty, rationalize selling their votes as survival rather than betrayal.

As one voter at Inland Town ward bluntly put it:

“Government no dey give us anything. If they bring money during election, why should I not collect? After election, nobody will remember us again.”

This transactional mindset has become normalized, creating a vicious cycle where corruption breeds more corruption.

Curiously, despite open reports of money changing hands, security operatives deployed for the election remained passive. While the police had announced a robust security architecture, on the ground their presence seemed more symbolic than functional.

An observer from a civil society group, who monitored polling at Otuocha Road, lamented:

“You could see police officers standing a few meters away while agents were distributing money. Nobody intervened. It was like an unspoken agreement to look away.”

This raises questions about the sincerity of Nigeria’s fight against electoral malpractice. If blatant vote buying cannot be stopped in a single constituency election, what hope exists for the 2027 general elections?

Onitsha North is not just any constituency. It is the commercial heart of Anambra, with a dense population, a bustling market economy, and symbolic weight in Igbo politics. Whoever wins here does not just claim a seat in the State Assembly—they claim legitimacy in one of the most politically vibrant parts of the South-East.

For APGA, a victory would be proof that Soludo’s government still enjoys grassroots acceptance despite criticisms of his policies. For ADC, winning with the widow of a respected lawmaker would signal the rise of a coalition capable of challenging APGA’s stranglehold on Anambra politics.

In essence, Onitsha North has become a microcosm of the larger battle for the soul of Anambra State.

For APGA and Soludo, this by-election is being interpreted as a dress rehearsal for November 2025, when Soludo will face the electorate for re-election. A loss in Onitsha North would send shockwaves, emboldening opposition forces and weakening his bargaining power.

For ADC and Peter Obi, supporting Mrs. Azuka is less about one seat and more about proving that Obi still commands loyalty at home. A victory would strengthen his hand in negotiations for the 2027 presidential coalition, positioning ADC as a serious contender.

For the electorate, the outcome may not reflect genuine choice. With cash dictating loyalty, the voters risk being trapped in a cycle where their immediate gain costs them long-term governance.

Eyewitness Scenes: Money for Votes in Real Time

To capture the mood, here are detailed accounts from different polling stations:

• At Omagba Ward 1, a young man described how he queued to collect ₦5,000 from ADC agents before entering the polling booth. Minutes later, he received ₦10,000 from APGA representatives nearby. “I voted once, but I chopped twice,” he said, laughing.
• At Otuocha Road Ward, elderly women were seen holding crisp ₦1,000 notes in envelopes, murmuring prayers for the party agents who gave them the money. For many, the money meant food for the week.
• At Osuma Ward, youths openly debated which party’s money to accept. One group decided to split votes among themselves: half for APGA, half for ADC, just to ensure no side felt cheated.

These scenes illustrate not just political manipulation but also the raw economic desperation that makes vote buying thrive.

Civil society groups and analysts have condemned the brazen monetization of the election.

Dr. Ifeoma Nwosu, a political scientist at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, said:

“This election shows why Nigerian democracy is still fragile. It is not about who has the better policy but who has deeper pockets. Until we address poverty and strengthen institutions, vote buying will remain the norm.”

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), in a preliminary report, described the by-election as “largely peaceful but heavily compromised by financial inducements.”

Whatever the official result eventually declares, the real winners may not be the candidates, but the political financiers who demonstrated their control.

If APGA wins, Soludo will project himself as still in command, using the victory to consolidate his re-election bid. If ADC wins, Obi and the coalition will claim momentum, arguing that even against state machinery, they could triumph through grassroots sympathy.

The real loser, however, is democracy itself, weakened once again by the stranglehold of money politics.

Vote buying is not new in Nigeria. From the Second Republic to the present day, elections have often been plagued by financial inducements. What has changed is the boldness. In the past, it was discreet—hidden in rice bags or backroom deals. Today, it is open, shameless, and normalized.

The Onitsha North by-election thus continues a sad tradition: elections reduced to market transactions, with citizens as buyers and sellers of their own future.

As collation of results begins, both APGA and ADC have started declaring confidence in victory. But regardless of who emerges, the lingering question is: at what cost?

The by-election was an opportunity to restore faith in Nigeria’s democratic process. Instead, it has become another example of how systemic poverty, weak institutions, and political desperation combine to erode credibility.

For now, Onitsha sleeps under the glow of campaign cash, while the rest of Nigeria watches, wondering if this is a preview of what awaits in November’s gubernatorial race—and beyond, in the 2027 general elections.

The Onitsha North by-election will likely be remembered less for who won and more for how it was won. APGA and ADC may each claim victory, but the methods—open vote buying, financial intimidation, and systemic complicity—have left scars on Nigeria’s democratic experiment.

In a nation where poverty remains widespread, and where politicians see money as the ultimate campaign tool, the Onitsha North race is not an exception. It is the rule.

And until that rule is broken, Nigerian elections will remain marketplaces where democracy is traded, not practiced.